UPDATE: Rollover in Iron County leads to arrest for drug, theft charges

CEDAR CITY — A report of an overturned vehicle near the Three Peaks Recreation area on Monday led to the arrest of the driver on multiple drug charges.

Update June 4, 3:30 p.m. The story now includes the name of the female passenger and associated criminal charges in addition to updated information on the driver’s court proceedings.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed by the Iron County Sheriff’s Office in support of the arrest, the overturned vehicle was noticed shortly before noon by an Iron County VIPS (Volunteers in Police Service) volunteer who was patrolling in the area.

While a Sheriff’s Office deputy was en route to the scene, he ran a check of the license plate and found that the vehicle had been stolen out of Las Vegas, according to the affidavit.

“I arrived on scene and witnessed two adults, one male, one female, sitting next to the overturned vehicle,” the officer wrote, adding that the man, identified in charging documents as 30-year-old Daniel James Hernandez, then admitted he was a drug user and had traveled from Las Vegas to Cedar City that morning.

Hernandez was described as being “erratic” and “scattered” in his conversation with investigators. He reportedly told the deputy he was still high on meth, “and that’s why he was acting the way he was,” the deputy wrote.

Booking photo of Daniel James Hernandez, Iron County Jail, Cedar City, Utah, May 18, 2020 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News / Cedar City News

During the subsequent search, deputies reportedly found “large amounts” of drugs and paraphernalia throughout the vehicle and on Hernandez’s person. The controlled substances included marijuana, heroin, methamphetamine and prescription pills, while the paraphernalia included pipes and needles, the affidavit states.

In addition, several tools associated with burglary, including a lock pick kit and bolt cutters, were found in or near the vehicle.

Hernandez was arrested Monday afternoon and taken to Iron County Jail, where he was booked on suspicion of several charges, including receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle, a second degree felony, along with multiple misdemeanor charges, including driving under the influence of drugs, drug possession, prescription forgery, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of burglary tools.

Hernandez, who remains in jail in lieu of $15,000 bail, made his initial court appearance on May 21. He subsequently pleaded guilty to three reduced charges on Monday, June 2. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 14 by 5th District Court Judge Keith C. Barnes.

Additionally, although the female passenger was not initially named at the time this story was first published, officials with the Iron County Sheriff’s Office have since identified her as Krystle Stinedurf, 29, of Enoch and noted that she also has been charged in connection with the incident. Stinedurf was charged May 18 with two misdemeanor counts of drug possession and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Court records indicate that Stinedurf is also a defendant in an earlier case that is still pending: on April 12, Stinedurf was charged with two second-degree felony counts of drug possession, one count of obstructing justice, a third-degree felony, and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. She pleaded not guilty to all four of those charges on April 28. Her next scheduled court appearance is a status review hearing on June 9.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News. He covered news, features, and sports as a part-time reporter for the Times-Independent, Moab's weekly community newspaper, and has contributed stories and photos to various other media outlets. He also taught high school English, journalism, and computer classes for 12 years, and was the school's yearbook and student newspaper adviser. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters, and also have two young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.